The Mourinho Thread

[LAM09 7,043]

I hope he finally learns from his continued selection mistakes and drops the weak links. We have a squad of players for a variety of positions, so let's start to use them.

[Adnane 1,101]

One thing i'm sure of, is that of all the managers that passed in this club while I've been a supporter, there can be only one that is sitting in his office during this international break, rewatching game by game, trying to figure it out where it all went wrong, making decisions, and working his ass off to find solutions, and that is Mourinho.

We'll come back stronger for sure, over the last 10 years, we always did anyways, that's part of our DNA.

[lionsden 4,689]

There is actually a big difference in performances for me, right now we look as open as a defensive unit as we have ever been, the stats are damming.

Second half of last season wasn't pretty but there was nothing to suggest was what was coming in August, our players were tired/lost form so we strangled the life out of games to get us over the line.

And whose fault was that? If the manager trusted and rotated his squad better and more efficiently not only would it have prevented the burn out you are referring to but it might have helped us keep some of the squad players that left, due to lack of playing time.

We never really looked open or exposed at the back, whereas now.....

games like Hull city (away), man city away, PSG Home and away, Liverpool COC, Bradford FA cup, we looked just as open defensively. if you didn't limit it to just defensive performance and included all the games where we looked poor and completely devoided of ideas there would be even more examples of those from last season.

[Tomo 21,751]

And whose fault was that? If the manager trusted and rotated his squad better and more efficiently not only would it have prevented the burn out you are referring to but it might have helped us keep some of the squad players that left, due to lack of playing time.

games like Hull city (away), man city away, PSG Home and away, Liverpool COC, Bradford FA cup, we looked just as open defensively. if you didn't limit it to just defensive performance and included all the games where we looked poor and completely devoided of ideas there would be even more examples of those from last season.

Not saying it wasn't on the manager for not rotatingitsmore down to the displays then vs now, I wasn't too worried about them because like I said it was obvious we only had one agenda in mind and that was just getting over the line, yeah we looked lethargic at times offensively but I always felt we would get the points, a big difference compared to now, honestly we could have Watford at home next and I'll fear defeat.

Also those games you've mentioned were the only ones where the defense was a real problem last term, this time round they have all fallen off a cliff, even Cesar is losing a few 1 on 1s and that's unheard off. Against City Aguero had 5 clear chances before he actually scored, that's unheard off for a Chelsea team let alone one managed by Mourinho,before these four games the only times I have seen us cut open so much was Barca and Bayern on the CL run in 2012, but for obvious reasons no one was that bothered in any of the post match threads.

Point is tho for me there is no comparison between the displays second half of last season and this, the former we were proffesional answer focused on getting that title come hell or high water, this season so far we have been playing like a bunch of ametuers not even that from a defensive POV.

[lionsden 4,689]

Not saying it wasn't on the manager for not rotatingitsmore down to the displays then vs now, I wasn't too worried about them because like I said it was obvious we only had one agenda in mind and that was just getting over the line, yeah we looked lethargic at times offensively but I always felt we would get the points, a big difference compared to now, honestly we could have Watford at home next and I'll fear defeat.

Also those games you've mentioned were the only ones where the defense was a real problem last term, this time round they have all fallen off a cliff, even Cesar is losing a few 1 on 1s and that's unheard off. Against City Aguero had 5 clear chances before he actually scored, that's unheard off for a Chelsea team let alone one managed by Mourinho,before these four games the only times I have seen us cut open so much was Barca and Bayern on the CL run in 2012, but for obvious reasons no one was that bothered in any of the post match threads.

Point is tho for me there is no comparison between the displays second half of last season and this, the former we were proffesional answer focused on getting that title come hell or high water, this season so far we have been playing like a bunch of ametuers not even that from a defensive POV.

Fair enough.

I still believe that jose's complacency or inability to address our form (performance wise) since January is the biggest reason for this mess we find ourselves at the moment. The "as long as we got the result, everything is fine" mentality is not acceptable for a club looking to enjoy a long term success domestically and in Europe. The board also share some of the blame as well ofcourse. it goes without saying.

[Gappy 130]

Interesting articles from Jake Cohen

"Chelsea would be much better served spending superstar money on superstar talent.

That said, there's not exactly a huge pool of players that could walk into Chelsea's starting eleven (just ask Loic Remy, Radamel Falcao, Ramires, Filipe Luis, Juan Cuadrado, Andre Schurrle, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, etc.), and for the relatively few players who could, they're either already playing for a huge club that can offer just as much as Chelsea can, or their club will be reluctant to let their marquee player leave, as we just saw this summer with Paul Pogba. "

http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/9/2/9111837/what-went-wrong-for-chelsea-in-the-summer-transfer-window

[Gilvorak 3,734]

Lionsden with some great posts in this thread. If the result at our appalling poor form since mid January is to throw more money at the problem then doesn't that make Mourinho a chequebook manager?

I watched PSG play Monaco the other day & the quality of football they play in comparison to ours is lightyears ahead of us. Every single one of their players apart from Cavani is elite in possession. They split Luiz & Silva, push both Aurier & Maxwell high up the pitch & Motta (who was sensational) is the outlet, constantly recycling possession & controlling the game. That's a brand of football Jose initially promised the fans (while passive-aggressively criticizing Benitez for negative football) in one of his early press conferences when he returned

"I had one meeting – not five, 10, 20 – with Mr Abramovich and we were convinced this was the way we want to do it. I don't want to defend as a low block, central defenders playing in midfield or long balls to a lonely striker. We want to be proactive.

"If you sit there deep in a low block, with no spaces, you can do that for three hours. No problem. I've played like that many times at certain clubs and it's not a criticism. It's an option. I went with Inter to Barcelona and, for 60 minutes, we played with 10 men. If we'd had to play for another 60 minutes, we could have. But I don't want my team to play like that."

Over 2 years later & we still play a rudimentary style of play utterly reliant on one player who gets blasted when he can't consistently deliver.

[Fernando 6,585]

Lionsden with some great posts in this thread. If the result at our appalling poor form since mid January is to throw more money at the problem then doesn't that make Mourinho a chequebook manager?

I watched PSG play Monaco the other day & the quality of football they play in comparison to ours is lightyears ahead of us. Every single one of their players apart from Cavani is elite in possession. They split Luiz & Silva, push both Aurier & Maxwell high up the pitch & Motta (who was sensational) is the outlet, constantly recycling possession & controlling the game. That's a brand of football Jose initially promised the fans (while passive-aggressively criticizing Benitez for negative football) in one of his early press conferences when he returned

Over 2 years later & we still play a rudimentary style of play utterly reliant on one player who gets blasted when he can't consistently deliver.

It is why I'm baffled at the new contract he got.

We did exactly the same mistake real Madrid did in giving him a contract extension after winning the title.

I think you learn more from the season where you don't win much.

Take a look at pellegrini and Mourinho career in England the past 3 years.

What is the difference?

That even though both having rich teams they won the same trophies with the exception of one thing. There's progression in pellegrini team of style.

Third season of Mourinho what is our style?

It's understandable to be very pragmatic your first season but after 3 seasons we should have an idea what the guy is about.

Now ask yourself is this the guy to really lead us for a decade?

At the moment I don't think so. He continues to be a manager for a 3 to 5 year solution.

And you know what? That's fine, but let's not get long term stability just for the sake of it.

It has to be someone that has the same philosophy of the club.

And by those quotes you just put it looks like the philosophy of the club and Mourinho are not being met at the moment.

[DYC. 7,542]

Lionsden with some great posts in this thread. If the result at our appalling poor form since mid January is to throw more money at the problem then doesn't that make Mourinho a chequebook manager?

I watched PSG play Monaco the other day & the quality of football they play in comparison to ours is lightyears ahead of us. Every single one of their players apart from Cavani is elite in possession. They split Luiz & Silva, push both Aurier & Maxwell high up the pitch & Motta (who was sensational) is the outlet, constantly recycling possession & controlling the game. That's a brand of football Jose initially promised the fans (while passive-aggressively criticizing Benitez for negative football) in one of his early press conferences when he returned

Over 2 years later & we still play a rudimentary style of play utterly reliant on one player who gets blasted when he can't consistently deliver.

Tbf, PSG still have troubles of their own in Europe.

That quote from Mourinho is classic though.

[Oscar 441]

The overall makeup of the team is still top 2 in the league (only City is better)....

Should still be fighing for the title and domestic titles regardless of not getting pogba and a cb.

However, Jose needs to be sacked in order for the fight to begin again.....

[DYC. 7,542]

It is why I'm baffled at the new contract he got.

We did exactly the same mistake real Madrid did in giving him a contract extension after winning the title.

I think you learn more from the season where you don't win much.

Take a look at pellegrini and Mourinho career in England the past 3 years.

What is the difference?

That even though both having rich teams they won the same trophies with the exception of one thing. There's progression in pellegrini team of style.

Third season of Mourinho what is our style?

It's understandable to be very pragmatic your first season but after 3 seasons we should have an idea what the guy is about.

Now ask yourself is this the guy to really lead us for a decade?

At the moment I don't think so. He continues to be a manager for a 3 to 5 year solution.

And you know what? That's fine, but let's not get long term stability just for the sake of it.

It has to be someone that has the same philosophy of the club.

And by those quotes you just put it looks like the philosophy of the club and Mourinho are not being met at the moment.

Chelsea don't need a manager to stay for 10 or 20 years. There's only one Ferguson.

A manager for 4 or 5 years is more than enough. Chelsea need stability in the type of manager they appoint, and the type of players they sign.

[Laylabelle 9,534]

4-5 years is very optimistic..